75% of Kiwis already tackled Christmas shopping

Santa’s making a list and checking it twice; a report just in from Mattel ToyLab shows that 75% of Kiwis have already started doing the same with Christmas present shopping well underway.

The Mattel ToyLab quizzed over 1,000 New Zealanders to find out how they handle their Christmas shopping, revealing that one third of Kiwis surveyed are well prepared for the festive season having tackled their children’s gift shopping the smart way, by picking up items throughout the year.

A further 19% started children’s Christmas shopping in October to beat the rush while another 23% joined in from mid-November. But there is still 25% of Kiwis surveyed who will not even think about their lists and recipients until December.

As for what we’re buying, toys remain a firm favourite with gift givers, with almost 60% of Kiwis surveyed, stating toys will make up at least half of the gifts for wee ones this year. These are followed by clothes with 17% and sporting and outdoor equipment at 9%.

Planned gift purchases by category:

When delving into the motivation behind buying toys for children at Christmas, 89% of New Zealanders surveyed identified the most important factor is that the toys are something significant and thoughtful, specifically selected for the child.

When it comes to the ease of choosing a gift, 45% of Kiwis surveyed said babies and toddlers are the easiest to buy for, followed by girls at 37%. Boys aged three years and over are the most challenging group, with only 18% identifying them as the easiest to buy for.

While Christmas shopping for children can be intimidating, the Mattel Top Toys for Christmas list offers gift givers a solution for infants, girls and boys; rigorous testing by Mattel’s Toyologists Mia Blakie and Thomas Parry show that Barbie Princess Charm School, Hot Wheels Wall Tracks, Blokus and Fisher-Price Go Baby Go™ Poppity Pop™ Musical Dino among many other toys, will be the big Christmas hits with children this year.

Key survey findings include:
· While 75% of Kiwis surveyed have already started preparing for Christmas, 25% are yet to step foot in store, with 10% leaving their shopping until the last minute
· 89% of New Zealanders surveyed place the highest importance on selecting a toy that is significant and thoughtful
· 80% of Kiwis surveyed do not think a toy needs to be big and expensive to impress
· 45% of parents surveyed purchase toys based on wish lists their kids have written
· Most Kiwi parents surveyed spend between $100-$200 on gifts for their own kids at Christmas, while the majority of Kiwis spend up to $50 on gifts for other people’s children